London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Dagenham 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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Rivers and Streams.
See 1930 report.
Closet Accommodation.
See 1930 report.
Scavenging.
The following table gives some statistics relating to the collection of refuse :—
| 1. | Total all-in cost per week £179 |
| 2. | Estimated weight of house and trade refuse collected per week 380 tons |
| 3. | Average number of premises visited per week 18,822 |
| 4. | Cost of collection per house per week 2.28 pence |
| 5. | Personnel and Equipment :— |
| 22 men for 6 days and 4 for 3 days. | |
| 6 vehicles for 6 davs and 1 for 3 davs. |
The same method of disposing of house refuse, namely crude
dumping on a tip in the northern part of the district, continues in
operation. This tip has now for years been a source of annoyance
to the surrounding countryside. Other possibilities of disposal
have been under consideration. Disposal in some disused gravel
pits in the eastern part of the district was suggested. The method
would have been liable to cause a nuisance owing to the contained
water in the pits, and housing development is already taking place
in the near vicinity. The proposal for disposing of the refuse on
waste land in the southern part of the district, adjoining the
industrial area, was abandoned owing to the expense neccssary in
making up the approach road and the difficulties that would have
been met with in crossing a railway line. The present proposal
is the erection of a separation plant on a site in the middle of the
district.
Earth Closets.
The night soil from the earth closets in the northern part of
the district is collected in a tumbler cart and deposited on tin
fields.
Cesspools.
Most of the cesspools of the district are emptied by the Council
gulley and cesspool emptier, the contents being pumped into tin'
sewer. Complaints are sometimes received from occupants o